Promise Broken, page 14
“Mommy!” Brianna yelled at the top of her lungs as Promise was on her ass again.
Dell came into the living room to find Promise on top of Brianna, giving her the business. “Cut it out. Right now!” she commanded, but Promise ignored her. She was in the throes of battle. She tried to grab Promise, but ended up getting sat on her ass when Promise shoved her. It was a reflex, not intentional. Dell ran into the kitchen and grabbed a wooden broom, which she brought down over Promise’s head. She hit her with it twice, before the broomstick broke and Promise got off Brianna.
“What’s wrong with you?” Promise asked angrily. She was rubbing her head, checking for knots.
“What’s wrong with me? You’re the one in here fighting your little cousin like some common hood rat!” Adelle shouted.
“She just jumped on me for no reason,” Brianna cried.
“You lying little bitch!” Promise tried to get her again, but Dell jumped between them.
“That’s enough, Promise Mohammed. I ain’t gonna have you in here trying to bully my baby girl. Save that shit for them harlots that you hang up on the corners with,” Dell told her.
“I’m not bullying her, Aunt Dell. Brianna ain’t got no respect for other people’s stuff. She’s always touching my stuff,” Promise explained.
“First of all, everything in this house belongs to me. I pay these bills, I buy the food and the clothes on your raggedy-ass back. This means I got a claim on everything in here that my money paid for.” Dell rolled her neck.
“Not everything of mine was bought with your money,” Promise mumbled.
“Right, I forgot you got a part-time job running behind Mouse being her flunky. Don’t call me if y’all asses get in trouble with the law again.”
“I’m not out there doing nothing to get in trouble with the law.”
Adelle gave her a sharp look. “Don’t play dumb with me, Promise. You think I don’t know what Mouse is into? The people she’s running with? Your young ass thinks that you know everything, but don’t forget that I been in these streets longer than you been alive. This game is new to you, not me.”
“If you say so, Auntie.” Promise didn’t feel like arguing. She started back toward her room, but Adelle stopped her.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“Out for a little while. I won’t be gone long,” Promise assured her.
“Well, whatever devilment you and Mouse got going on is going to have to wait. I need you here tonight. We gotta get this house clean for when they come and do the annual inspection.”
“I already did my part. I cleaned the bathroom last night, did the dishes this morning before I went to school, and I mopped the floors when I came in from school,” Promise told her. There was no way that she was going to let Adelle’s bullshit keep her from sliding with Mouse that night.
“The light fixtures need dusting, and the windowsills need wiping down,” Dell told her.
“Why can’t Brianna do it?” Promise asked.
“Ma, do you think I’m going to need to go to the hospital? It’s bleeding a lot,” Brianna said, holding a bloody towel against her nose.
“Hush, a nosebleed ain’t gonna kill you!” Dell snapped at Brianna. Then she turned back to Promise. “You got work to do here, Promise. The streets can wait.”
“I swear, you treat me more like a house slave than your niece,” Promise said emotionally.
“This little bit of shit I ask you to do around the house ain’t nothing compared to the chores I had when I was coming up. You ain’t never have to work on no farm, or walk five miles carrying groceries.”
“That’s because I was born in this century,” Promise said with an attitude.
“You know, I’m getting a little tired of your smart-ass mouth, Promise. Ever since you been running doing whatever it is you’re doing with Mouse, you’ve been prancing around like your shit don’t stink. I didn’t have to take you in, but I did. I gave you a roof over your head, put clothes on you, and tried to teach you to do right, but you act like it ain’t good enough. My sister would be ashamed if she were here to see what you’re becoming. Then again, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, so maybe she wouldn’t.”
“You need to keep my mother’s name out your mouth,” Promise warned.
“Why? The truth hurt? I ain’t telling you nothing but what’s what. Your mother had a thing for chasing behind people that ain’t no good for her too. She chased behind Max and even chased that cracker daddy of yours halfway across the country thinking he’d make good on any of those empty promises. What did it get her? Messed up her education, fell out with our parents, and shackled down with a half breed bitch who wouldn’t—”
That was as far as Dell got. Promise hadn’t even realized that she had moved until she felt the soft flesh of Dell’s cheek under her palm. The slap sounded like a gunshot in the small living room. Promise didn’t mean to do it, it was something that just happened. “Auntie, I didn’t mean to . . .”
Once Adelle got over the initial shock of getting slapped by her niece her anger set in. She jumped on Promise’s ass and commenced to handing her a beat down. Promise may have been able to kick Brianna’s ass, but she was no match for her aunt. Adelle had age and experience on her side.
“You ungrateful little bitch!” Adelle grabbed Promise by the hair and started dragging her toward the door. “After all I’ve done for you, you got the nerve to raise your hand to me.”
“Kill that bitch, mommy! Kill her!” Brianna cheered from the couch.
“Auntie, I didn’t mean it,” Promise sobbed. She was genuinely sorry for what she did. There were more than a few times when she had imagined herself knocking the shit out of Adelle, but she would never really do it. Adelle was a bitch, but she was also her aunt and the only family she had left.
“Save them crocodile tears, trifling whore. I want you out of my house.” Dell opened the front door with one hand, while still dragging Promise with the other. She shoved her over the threshold and gave her a little kick for good measure so she wasn’t in the doorway when she slammed it.
Promise pulled herself to her feet and began knocking on the door. “Aunt Dell, please don’t do this.” She was crying.
“You did it to yourself, Promise. I tried to be good to you, tried to give you a shot at life but you wanna be grown, so now you can take care of yourself.” Adelle shouted back through the door.
“Where am I supposed to go?” Promise asked sadly. She had no family besides Dell and Brianna and Mouse was her only friend.
“Sleep on the streets for all I care. Better yet, go find your daddy and see if he wants to be bothered with your ungrateful ass. I’m done. Now get away from my door before I call the police!”
CHAPTER 16
Mouse rubbed Promise’s back as she sat on her living room couch, sobbing uncontrollably. She had shown up at her apartment looking crazy. Her shirt was torn and there were scratches on the side of her face. In a flurry of words that almost didn’t make sense Promise told Mouse about what had happened at the house with Adelle.
Her heart bled for her friend. She knew how it was to have your family turn their backs on you and feel like your world was crashing down around you. The difference between Mouse and Promise was Mouse had long stopped giving a fuck about Max. She was who she was and Mouse had come to accept that. Adelle was a bitch, and Promise talked shit about her but she knew that somewhere deep in her heart Promise had love for her auntie.
“Try and stop crying, Promise. You’re going to make yourself sick,” Mouse told her. Promise’s eyes were swollen and her face was as red as a beet. Mouse could only remember seeing her that upset only one time before and that was when her mom had died.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Mouse.” Promise wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.
“I’ll tell you what you ain’t gonna do, and that’s go to pieces over that sour-ass old lady and her mean words. P, I know that’s your auntie but her lack of love for you ain’t never been no secret. I’m not telling you this to be mean, but so that you look at this for what it is. You and me are from the bottom, baby. This world ain’t built to love us so it’s always gonna be us against them.”
“I know.” Promise nodded in agreement. “It just hurts. I ain’t got no money, nowhere to lay my head, and no plan.”
“But you got me.” Mouse pointed out. “Look, I got some money stashed away. It ain’t much, but it’s something and you know that you’re welcome to whatever I have. You can even crash here until you figure something else out.”
“I couldn’t impose on you like that, Mouse. You’ve already done more for me than you had to. I don’t wanna put more on you than you already got going on,” Promise told her.
“Cut that shit, Promise. How many times you held me down? Be it by getting some bitches off my ass, feeding me when I was hungry, or coming out all times of the night to help me track down my junkie mama. I owe you this and more. You’re going to stay with me and that’s the end of it.”
“Thanks, Mouse.” Promise mustered a smile.
“No need to thank me. You’re my sister and I’d do anything for you.” Mouse hugged her. “I know we were supposed to go out tonight, but I’m thinking maybe we get some food and some snacks and watch movies.”
“Nah, I know you had your heart set on going to the hotel party, Mouse. I wanted to go too, but look at me.” She motioned to her messy appearance. “I ain’t fit to go nowhere.”
“You ain’t said nothing slick to a can of oil.” Mouse grabbed Promise by the hand and walked her into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later Promise looked like a whole different person. Mouse had used some gel to slick her hair down then styled it real cute. She then did her face, covering up the scratches, and added a dab of color to her eyes. She looked like she had just stepped out of the Cotton Club in the 1940s.
“Wow, I don’t even look like myself.” Promise was staring at herself in awe.
“Nah, baby girl. That’s all you . . . the you that you keep hidden from the world. You’re a bad bitch, Promise, and it’s about time you started acting like it. Them niggas are gonna go crazy when they see you tonight.”
“Ain’t nobody checkin’ for me.” Promise lowered her eyes.
“I think Asher would say something different. That boy is going to blow a load in his pants when he sees the new and improved you!” Mouse teased. “Now take your ass in my room and pick out something to wear while I jump in the shower. Tonight is your official coming-out party and we ain’t taking no prisoners.”
CHAPTER 17
Less than two miles away, someone else was having a coming-out party of their own.
This was Keys’s third official weekend at working his part-time gig at the Robert Treat hotel. He had worked a few spot dates during the week when time and his mother allowed, but Fridays and Saturdays were his official nights. They had recently done some renovations and had placed a small piano in the bar area. It wasn’t a baby grand or anything of that caliber. Just a small organ, much like the one he had at home.
He had been plugged into the job by his mother of all people. Not long after his fight with Deacon she had been trying to make it up to him. When she’d presented the opportunity to him she told him that it had come through someone who wanted to pay a kindness to their family. That wasn’t unusual. People were always trying to look out for the Jacksons, especially the members of his mother’s church, but the job hadn’t come through anyone in the congregation. When he’d first found out who his benefactor was, he assumed that it was some kind of trick, maybe payback from the trouble he had caused them a while back, but the offer was legit. It wouldn’t be until two weeks into his gig that he would find out what the motives behind it were.
Keys was an instant hit at his position as the bar’s new entertainment. Sometimes people who weren’t even staying at the hotel would come in just to hear the young pianist do his thing. The crowds had started getting so big that the manager started charging the people who weren’t hotel guests cover charges, which they happily played. The word was getting around about the piano prodigy that they had begun affectionately referring to as Black Mozart.
Keys showed up ten minutes late that day. The hotel manager, Mr. Bagley, had given him a sour look when he strolled in but didn’t say anything. Keys had always gotten the impression that Mr. Bagley didn’t care for him. He made the occasional smart remark or shot him dirty looks but never came out and said anything. Keys had become too big of a draw to risk losing him.
When he walked into the bar he was greeted by the young Black bartender, Sam. Sam was a jovial cat, who was always good for a smile and a story. Sam was just finishing topping off a drink for one of the patrons when he spotted Keys. “What’s happening, Jackson?”
“I can’t call it or I might spoil it.” Keys gave him dap.
“Your usual?”
“Sure,” Keys said. He had knocked off a half-pint of vodka during his walk to the hotel and already had a good buzz, but it would be rude to turn down a free drink. That was one of the perks that came with working at the hotel, he didn’t have to pay for anything. His food and drinks were always comped. Oddly enough, no one had ever questioned Keys about his age. They had just assumed he was legal because he worked in the bar.
A few ticks later Sam returned and slid Keys a vodka and cranberry. “So, what you got for us tonight? You feeling soulful? You killed that Marvin Gaye set last weekend!”
“Nah, man. I think I’m going in a different direction tonight.” Keys sipped his drink. He took a few minutes to survey the crowd. There were a few people there, but it wasn’t packed yet. It was still early though. Keys took off his jacket and draped it over his arm. The liquor had started making him hot.
“New jewelry?” Sam asked. When Keys had taken his coat off the bartender had spotted the chain hanging out of his shirt. It was a thin gold chain looped through what looked like three small gold nuggets. It was a very odd piece.
“New to me at least.” Keys tucked the chain of teeth inside his shirt. He downed the rest of his drink and placed the glass on the bar. “Have someone bring me another one in about ten minutes.”
He made his way across the room, nodding to some of his regulars on his way to the piano that was set up in the corner. He spotted his benefactor sitting at a private table, with several other men he had never seen before. All of them were wearing heavy jewelry, but none heavier than a bearded man wearing a Cincinnati Reds cap. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes and a thick chain hung around his neck. Dangling from the end of the chain was a diamond-encrusted Rottweiler head. Keys felt like he had seen the man with the big chain before, but couldn’t place him at the moment.
Earlier that week Keys’s benefactor had mentioned to him that he was bringing someone important to the spot to hear him play, but he wouldn’t say who. All he would tell Keys is that he needed to be on his A game because this could possibly be a life-changing meeting for him. Keys could sure use some good fortune in his life, especially the way things had been going for him lately. When his benefactor spotted him, he waved Keys over. Keys pointed to his watch and then to the piano, signaling that he was late and needed to get started. He could’ve spared a few minutes, but he was having a bout of nervousness. What if whoever his benefactor had brought to see him didn’t think he was good enough? No, he couldn’t afford to fuck this up. Failure wasn’t an option. If he could potentially find a way to pull himself out of the hood he had to go for it. Who knew? Maybe if the guy liked him enough and wanted to cut a check, maybe he would even be able to afford to take Promise with him? She would have to forgive him then. If Keys was rich they could finally start their life together. He let the fantasy be his motivation.
When Keys sat at the piano, a round of applause went through the room. He nodded humbly, working the kinks out of his fingers. His right hand was still a little sore, but playing through the pain was nothing new to him. He looked to the private table where his benefactor was watching him intently. The man with the big chain looked on as well, but he didn’t seem impressed. He soon would be. “For Promise,” he whispered before laying his fingers on the keys.
* * *
Abdul arrived twenty minutes early for his meeting at the Robert Treat hotel. He was a man who believed in being punctual, which was more than he could say for his partner. He’d told B-Stone what time to meet him and even called to make sure he had the place and time. B-Stone assured him that he would be there, but Ab had been waiting for him for ten minutes and there was still no sign of him.
“This muthafucka,” Ab cursed, looking at his watch in frustration. He was tired of waiting. B-Stone would show up or he wouldn’t. Abdul planned to close the deal with or without him.
He strolled through the hotel lobby, looking around casually. There weren’t too many people waiting to get checked in at the front desk, but a good-sized crowd had formed outside the hotel bar. The manager, Mr. Bagley, was at the door collecting his five dollars per head cover charge. When he spotted Abdul, he called for one of his subordinates to take over the door while he went to greet him.
“How you doing, Ab?” Bagley shook his hand.
